Five dead, 10 rescued in Kano building collapse

Five people have been confirmed dead and 10 others injured in two building collapse incidents in Kano State.

In a statement on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, said the incidents occurred at Gaida in the Kumbotso Local Government Area and at Kurna in the Fagge LGA.

Abdullahi said the first incident occurred at a construction site near Salbas Filling Station in Gaida, Kumbotso LGA.

“Emergency personnel from the Fire Service Headquarters rescued two workers alive: Muhammad Hassan, 17, and Khalid Abubakar,19. However, four other construction workers—Sunusi Surajo, 18, Bashir Ibrahim, 20, Ibrahim Ibrahim, 25, and an individual identified simply as Abubakar, 30—were recovered unconscious and later confirmed dead.

“All victims were taken to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital and handed over to Inspector Adamu Garba of the Kofar Wanbai Police Division.

Minutes later, a second collapse was reported behind the Primary School in Kurna, Fagge LGA, where a religious school building, Khadija Idris Bala Islamiyya, caved in, trapping nine students.

“Firefighters from the Kurna Fire Station rescued eight students alive: 13-year-olds Hassana Isah, Usaina Isah, and Zulaihat Gambo; 12-year-olds Nawara Yahaya, Nusaiba Isah, Hasiya Munir, and Hadiza Haruna; alongside 15-year-old Khadija Isah”, Mr Abdullahi said.

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He added that the ninth student, 14-year-old Khadija Muhammad, was pulled from the rubble unconscious and was later pronounced dead.

The victims were handed over to the school headmaster, Muhammad Usman.
The official confirmed that investigations into the cause of both structural failures are currently ongoing.

The Kano State Fire Service urged property owners, contractors, and construction site workers to strictly adhere to building safety standards, particularly during the ongoing rainy season, to prevent further tragedies.